Entertainment

Bill Cosby gets standing ovation at first show in Kitchener

People protest at the Centre In The Square venue where Bill Cosby is performing in Kitchener, Ontario, January 7, 2015. Bill Cosby, the subject of more than a dozen sex abuse allegations over the past three months, will go ahead with three Canadian shows this week, coming as more women levelled accusations against the comedian. REUTERS/Mark Blinch

KITCHENER, Ont. -- It was smooth sailing for embattled comedian Bill Cosby during the first stop of his three-city southwestern Ontario tour Wednesday.

There were some heated exchanges between protesters and ticket-holders outside Cosby's Kitchener, Ont. show, but nobody disrupted the 77-year-old's performance inside.

"First of all, thank you," Cosby said as he took the stage to applause at 7:30 p.m. ET. He was framed by large screens displaying his image and that of Nelson Mandela, the revered former South African opponent of apartheid who later became president.

Security at the Centre in the Square theatre, along with a handful of police officers, kept a close eye on the audience during Cosby's energetic 90-minute set.

But there was only laughter coming from the crowd, who filled about three-quarters of the concert hall.

Wearing a white hoodie and sitting on a chair, Cosby joked about everything from the cold weather and atheism to disciplining children.

The night ended with the crowd giving him a standing ovation for his performance.

In a statement released after the show, Cosby said: "Dear fans: I would like to personally thank you for giving me the opportunity to bring laughter back into your lives tonight. Also, I would like to applaud all of you and give you a standing ovation for respecting yourselves, the theatre and the event organizers that produced a spectacular show for the Kitchener community."